Use of 5-methoxypsoralen and other furocoumarins as jet lag suppressants

Abstract

Disclosed is use of 5-methoxypsoralen to prevent and suppress the symptons of jet lag.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for suppressing the effects of jet lag in humans, comprising the step of administering to a host in need of such treatment, the host being accustomed to a first time zone and having travelled to a second time zone, a jet lag suppression effective amount of 5-methoxypsoralen. 
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, comprising administering said 5-methoxypsoralen at a time such as to cause the plasma melatonin level of the host to be in registry with the melatonin level at the time in the second time zone at which said melatonin level would be in the host had the host been accustomed to the second time zone. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2, comprising administering said 5-methoxypsoralen at a time such as to cause the plasma melatonin level of the host to be at or near the peak melatonin level at the time in the second time zone at which said melatonin level would be at or near peak in the host had the host been accustomed to the second time zone. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein said amount is between about 40 and about 300 mg. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 3 wherein said amount is between 40 and 300 mg. 
     
     
       6. A method for preventing the effects of jet lag in humans, comprising the step of administering to a host in need of such treatment, the host being accustomed to a first time zone and having travelled to a second time zone, a jet lag prevention effective amount of 5-methoxypsoralen. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 6, comprising administering said 5-methoxypsoralen at a time such as to cause the plasma melatonin level of the host to be in registry with the melatonin level at the time in the second time zone at which said melatonin level would be in the host had the host been accustomed to the second time zone. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7, comprising administering said 5-methoxypsoralen at a time such as to cause the plasma melatonin level of the host to be at or near the peak melatonin level at the time in the second time zone at which said melatonin level would be at or near peak in the host had the host been accustomed to the second time zone. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 6 wherein said amount is between 40 and 300 mg. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 8 wherein said amount is between 40 and 300 mg. 
     
     
       11. A method for suppressing the effects of jet lag in humans, comprising the step of administering to a host in need of such treatment, the host being accustomed to a first time zone and having travelled to a second time zone, a jet lag suppression effective amount of a member selected from the group consisting of psoralen, xanthotoxin, imperatorin, bergapten, isopimpinellin, trioxsalen, angelicin, methylated derivatives of angelicin, sphondin, isobergapten and pimpinellin.